Western Kentucky drops soccer program

[BigG]

title ix causes issues. if the sun belt adds mens soccer then they would have to find a womans athletic team of some kind. both the soccer program and whatever program the woman ended up with would both be programs that were non-revenue producers and a further drain on resources. my kids are involved in soccer, i would love to see more college programs pop up so there would be more opportunity for all. but it all comes down to funding.

 

But why cut the soccer program? The money they saved is negligible.

 

My problem, is how they stated that they were going to cut the program without stating that they were increasing their football program to a higher division (which would increase the number of scholarships and costs to the expansion of their stadium). Be honest. While it wouldn't be any less "ratty" it would show some character.

 

Chattanooga, you are right. Tough decisions need to be made, and cuts too. I just don't think WKU showed any class or character in this one. 24 year tenured coach, 30 players, and incoming freshmen all gone to increase other programs on campus.

 

I know I am probably looking at this in a biased manner (because people I know are being negatively affected) but I just have a hard time in justifying their actions.

[chattanooga]

collegiate sports is big business. football is king and brings in the dollars. sometimes the good for many outweighs the bad for a few. moving to 1A football can bring in millions long term. the school had to do something and they did. it is the sad state of collge athletics in todays world.

[No1ScoresOnMe]

Yes, the good news is that we still have Men's Swimming and Golf.

And as we know... those are the sports that bring in the big-time money... A lot more so than soccer (rolling eyes).

[chattanooga]

exactly, they would not have saved enough money to do any good getting rid of them. i would say they had a figure they needed to cut the budget by, and nen's soccer fit the bill.

[Ronaldinho10]

Yea but i would consider it "ratty" to do that to coach Holmes and put me and all other recruits in a VERY tough position with finding new schools. Coach stated it perfectly by saying everyone involved with hilltopper soccer was DEVASTATED by this course of action.

[BigG]

Yea but i would consider it "ratty" to do that to coach Holmes and put me and all other recruits in a VERY tough position with finding new schools. Coach stated it perfectly by saying everyone involved with hilltopper soccer was DEVASTATED by this course of action.

 

I don't know who you are, Ronaldinho, but I can't imagine the devastation that you and your future team mates are going through. The Backstroms are good friends of mine, and I know that they are so dissappointed, frustrated, angry (you name it). I don't have connections to schools that you would probably be interested in, but I sincerely offer my help if you need it. In the least, know that you have someone in your corner who feels for you and your family, and is going to write to WKU (not that they give a rip what a highschool coach feels, but I am going to try none the less).

 

This happened last year to the young man from Webb (sorry, I am getting old and I forget his name) and seems to be happening more and more. It is a shame.

[pride8]

G, I know how you feel as a sport that you love is ripped from a University. I know exactly how these young men feel as their program has been pulled out from under them. I will say that this is the destiny of a mid-major college. As a former football player at WKU and a long-tenured high school soccer and football coach it has me torn down the middle. For one, I was on the team in 1992 that had it's football team scrapped. We practiced in the Spring with no fall season upcoming for three weeks while the coaches that remained were looking for places for us to play. At the end of Spring practice the board of regents approved 5-4 to reinstate the program with 15 fewer scholarships and 2.5 fewer coaching postions. They only did this because the public and alumni put pressure on them. I don't know if this will work in a so-called minor program. At that time back in "the day" football was a minor program in a basketball state. Since then football has more than a decade of winning seasons, a national championship, and all-time record season ticket sales. That is not an excuse for what they did, but if the state is calling for cuts it will be the minor sports in mens' athletics that will suffer (title IX). I am a proud supporter both in finance and in attendence for my university and truly hate that this has happened. I went to several soccer games on the football field when I played there, even though I had no idea I would coach it for 15 years when I graduated. I love coaching soccer. I love coaching fooball. I am married to two different sports during the year but get to enjoy coaching so many more kids that others. I hate that another window has been closed for their future. However, majority rules and these are the state of affairs we have to deal with. It is not right, but it is what it is. If you would like to talk in length on this, just call Coach M at LCHS and he will give you my number. I respect what you do for HS athletics and also appreciate that you have played us a couple of times over the last 4 years. Just think for a while and you'll know who I am. This may be the only post I ever make on a message board, but I this is my University and I am obligated to be the devil's advocate on this one.

[chattanooga]

i understand there are many people hurt by this decision. if the decision was not made it could lead to many, many more. there are not enough dollars to go around in a lot of collegiate athletic departments. i mean the SEC does not have men's college soccer.

[BlazetoFlames]

As a college athlete this strory really scares me. I think the quickness of this desicion raises some eyebrows. I really do feel terrible for the players at WKU. This must be a difficult time for them.

 

However on the flip side we have to realize that the bottom line is money. and football brings in the money. this is a harsh reality that as soccer fans we need to come to grips with.

 

another thing that keeps programs around is winning. the facts are that the western soccer program has not faired that well over the past five years.

 

with that said i do feel terrible for the players and i hope they find a suitable place to continue there careers

[cincyred]

Members of the SEC all have enough money to add men's soccer. The reason they don't do it is there is no preceived "benefit" from doing it. In fact, there are many more reasons not to do it - Title IX & less money to upgrade football facilites to name two.

 

How is it that the #1 youth sport in America - based on numbers of children playing - is the least supported sport by institutions of higher learning?

[pimpsgontalk4]

This happened last year to the young man from Webb (sorry, I am getting old and I forget his name) and seems to be happening more and more. It is a shame.

 

i think you are refering to logan threadgill, he is a good friend of mine. yes that situation did stink for him but i'm glad he bounced back out of it. he currently plays at wofford i think. i hope the WKU players can also bounce back

[No1ScoresOnMe]

However on the flip side we have to realize that the bottom line is money. and football brings in the money. this is a harsh reality that as soccer fans we need to come to grips with.

 

 

 

I agree that football certainly brings in more money than soccer, but would you say that soccer brings in less money than golf or swimming (two sports that are being graciously spared)?

I just find it funny that when it comes to cutting programs, soccer always seems to be the one to take the fall. Remember, Vanderbilt did something very similar to this a few years ago, although for very different reasons.

There is a march on campus tonight to save the team, so the students are doing what they can.